Bicycle tours around the world

Tour d'Afrique Ltd. is a Toronto based company named for its flagship cycling tour that annually traverses the African continent from Cairo to Cape Town. Since its birth in 2003, eight more epic tours have been added.

Details for Bicycle tours around the world

Active Adventure

Tour d'Afrique Ltd is "The leading long distance cycle tour operator" - Newsweek.

AFRICATour d'Afrique Bicycle Expedition and RaceCairo to Cape Town. 12 000 kms.15 January - 14 May 2011Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa Whether you need an escape from your workstation and the rat race, are searching for your retirement dream trip, or simply want to explore the world between school and your first “real job,” we hope you will be inspired to join us on this journey of challenge, discovery and triumph. Traveling through 10 countries in all, you will cycle along the Nile past ancient temples, through the Sudanese desert, and up and down the biblical landscapes of Ethiopia's rugged Simian Mountains. After crossing the Equator in Kenya, you will pedal past legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, to Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, and along the edges of the magnificent Kalahari and Namib deserts, en route to the finish of your epic journey in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.Ride the full tour, or ride a section.

Spotlight on Namibia - The Rugged North. 1,300 kmWindhoek to Etosha28 August - 16 September 2011Come with us in 2011 on our first ever Spotlight Tour in Namibia (Rugged North). Cycle between the country's capital city, Windhoek, and its World famous National Park, Etosha. Begining in beautiful Windhoek, the tour will pass through the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland allowing you a view of the majestic granite mountain, Spitzkoppe. Then it will continue through the Damaraland (watch for the elusive desert elephants here) and on to the desolate Skeleton Coast. You will cycle along the stormy South Atlantic and explore the many shipwrecks that have give this area its name. Turning inland you will pass through the Kunene region, home of the nomadic Himba tribe and come to the finish at Etohsa National Park. Our Scenic South tour departs a few days after Rugged North finishes, giving you the opportunity to see more of this beautiful country.

Spotlight on Namibia - The Scenic South.Windhoek to Luderitz. 1,300 km25 September to 14 October 2011Cycle between the country's capital city, Windhoek, and Luderitz. After gathering in Windhoek we cycle off to see the scenic southern side of Namibia. We head west through the mountain passes of Gamsberg and Kuiseb. The scenery in the entire area is overwhelmingly beautiful and once we enter the Naukluft park, we ride through the fascinating rock formation in the Tinka flats. We are guaranteed wildlife sightings from the saddle. We ride pass the Moon Landscape and the ancient Welwitsha plants, often described as 'bizarre', 'weird', or 'unlike any known plant on earth'. We arrive in Swakopmund, the town between the Atlantic ocean and the Namib desert. The old German architecture makes it difficult to believe you are in Namibia. We spend 2 days in the Adrenaline capital of Namibia where you can jump out of a plane – fly like an eagle, taste the sand dunes if you want to experience the Namib desert from closer, slide down the biggest dunes or swim with the dolphins. On we go South through the wide open Namib desert following a dozen dunes until we reach the Big Daddy at Sossusvlei. Go see the early morning sunrise at Sossusvlei or Deadvlei or climb up the highest dune in the world and overlook the giant unspoiled landscape. Then it’s across the Namib Rand Nature Reserve to ride with the wild horses of the Namib outside of AUS at Garub before we reach the little German town of Luderitz. After riding throught the desert we finish with the beautiful view over the bay. You can spend they day exploring the town, visit the Ghosts or listen to the proud diamond history of the early 20th century on a tour to Kolmanskop.

EUROPEOrient Express Bicycle Expedition. 4,000 kmParis to Istanbul. 5 June - 24 July 2011France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, TurkeyExplore the ‘new’ Europe on the old continent with the Orient Express bicycle tour. From the French vineyards, to the spas of Budapest, and the spices of Turkish bazaars, this is a continental tour like no other. Covering 4000 km (2500 miles) between Paris and Istanbul, the tour consists of 39 days of cycling and 11 days of rest in such well known cities as Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest, along with stops in lesser-known jewels. Experience the changing landscapes, cultures and traditions as the route moves steadily eastward through old cathedral towns - gothic and medieval - to remote and traditional farming villages.Ride the full tour or ride a section.

Spotlight on Turkey Bicycle ExpeditionAnkara to Istanbul. 2,100 km4 September - 2 October 2011TurkeyCome with us in 2011 on our first ever Spotlight Tour in Turkey. Cycle between the country's two greatest cities - the capital Ankara and the immortal Istanbul. Begining in Ankara, the tour will pass through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Capadoccia and its eerie underground cities, offer you an opportunity to experience the hypnotic dances of the Whirling Dervishes in Konya, pedal through the windind roads and small villages of the Taurus Mountains, spin along the stunning coastlines of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, visit the historic sites of Ephesus, Pergamon and Troy, and finally pull into one of the worls's greatest cities, Istanbul.

ASIAAn Indian Adventure Bicycle Expedition. 3,300 kmAgra to Kanyakumari29 January - 19 March 2011IndiaThe inaugural Indian Adventure will depart from the famous Taj Mahal in Agra, India on Saturday January 29th, 2011 bound for the southern tip of India at Kanyakumari. Enroute we will pass through the colourful desert cities of Rajasthan; spend a day or two in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai; relax on the stunning beaches in Goa; visit the incredible ruins of Hampi; cycle through the undiscovered interior of Karnataka; pass through the princely city of Mysore; enjoy a day or two in a wildlife reserve; wander around the historic British hill station of Ooty; spin down from the heights of the Western Ghats to feast on seafood in Cochin; and bike alongside the gorgeous backwaters of Kerala. Ride the full tour or ride a section.

SOUTH AMERICASamba Tango Bicycle Expedititon. 3000 km14 August to 18 September 2011Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina.Come with us in 2011 on this exciting trip from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires. Enjoy cycling through veredant rain forests, along hard-packed beaches andthrough towering mountains. Enjoy the spicy local cuisine and the hospitality of some of the world's friendliest people. Experience the vitality of some of the world's best known cities and the charm of the area's small towns. The Vuelta Sudamericana tour from Buenos Aires to Lima departs a few days after Samba Tango finishes, so it's possible to cycle from Rio de Janeiro to Lima with us!

Vuelta Sudamericana Bicycle Expedition. 6,550 kmBuenos Aires to Lima.25 September - 13 December 2011Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, PeruThis incredible expedition explores the diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the Tour d'Afrique mandate, it is a trans-continental journey that meanders across the landscape, linking a variety of cultural and wilderness destinations en route from Buenos Aires to Lima. Vuelta has been designed to follow the most favorable patterns of wind, heat and precipitation and to enable riders to experience the full diversity of the continent. A tour of this magnitude will include days of heat, cold, rain, winds, altitude, serious hills, long distances, and tremendous personal challenge and achievement. Ride the full tour or ride a section.

NORTH AMERICANorth American Epic. 8,000km29 May to 28 August 2011USA and CanadaCome with us in 2011 on our first ever North American Epic. From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the Atlantic’s edge in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Cycle the Pacific coast of California and enjoy the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park. Let the Grand Canyon take your breath away, cross the Rockies of Colorado, the plains of Kansas, ride Route 66 into Chicago. See how us Canucks live as we cycle towards the great cities of Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec; then enjoy the big smiles and beautiful roads of the Maritimes as we make our way through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and finally Newfoundland.

Typical Day

A typical riding day will begin at 7:30 am. By then, you will have packed your tent and gear, had your breakfast and filled your water bottles ready for the start. Soon enough the bikers break into several groups. Some riders try to complete the stage quickly, some compete against each other and record their times, others are concerned with maintaining EFI status, while others ride at a comfortable pace, hoping not to miss any adventure offered on that day, and stopping to visit shops offering local delicacies and curios.

Just past the halfway mark of most riding days (a riding day varies in length anywhere from 60 km on really bad terrain to more than 180km on good paved roads), the lunch truck will be awaiting your arrival with a sandwich, energy bars, drinks and some words of encouragement. After lunch you are on your way to the campsite, where hot soup will be awaiting you. After the soup, it is time to put up your tent, clean up (assuming there is water) and get ready for dinner and the next day of riding. Of course - depending on how fast you cycle - you will have plenty of opportunities to explore the campsite, the surrounding town or village or nearby lakes and mountains.

Age range, type of group

Sleeping and meals

ACCOMMODATIONAccommodation varies from country to country. Primarily our tours are camping oriented, but we also spent nights in hostels and budget hotels. Camping will be at times in organized campgrounds, but often it will be a make-shift bush or desert camp alongside our route. These camps will likely not have any facilities for washing, and so water will be carefully rationed to riders on those days. The campgrounds will typically be municipal campsites with some water and basic toilet facilites, or traveller's campsites on the outskirts of cities or towns on our route. Depending on which tour, rest days are generally indoor accommodations or a campsite near cities where water, tourist attractions and shops are more readily available.

MEALSOn biking days there are four meals a day. You will start with a breakfast of porridge, bread, jams, honey, and fresh fruit when available. Just past the halfway mark of most cycling days, there will be a lunch awaiting you with a sandwich, energy bars, energy drinks, water, and fruit. When you arrive at camp there will be hot soup. Supper is a hearty, nutritious meal usually pasta or rice based. You may go to sleep exhausted, but never hungry. No soup or supper is served on the night coming into a rest day, or on rest days, when riders are expected to savour the local cuisine in shops, restaurants, and markets. For those with dietary restrictions beyond vegetarian diets, please contact our office to discuss whether we can accommodate your dietary needs.

Rates

Other Information

FULL TOUR OR A SECTIONOur tours are broken into sections varying in length from eight days to three weeks. You can also choose to start and end anywhere along the route that you wish. If there is a specific area you would like to cycle through or specific dates you have available then please contact our office and we will help you make it work.

SAFETYWe constantly monitor the current political climate in the countries the tour will be passing through. We also conduct scouting missions to get first hand insight into situations in these countries. We then make educated assessments of relative safety, and make adjustments if necessary - before and during the tour.

Based on our combined international experience, we are confident that there will be no serious safety issues. But as with all travel to unfamiliar territory, the possibility of danger exists and it is important to respect the local culture and people and observe the law. Your greatest hazard is, in fact, motorized vehicles, as it is for cyclists everywhere, so appropriate safety/visibility gear is essential.

FITNESSThe support we provide is based on the expectation that you will ride your bike everyday - whether it is a full day or half day. You should feel comfortable riding an average of 110 km per day for up to 8 days in a row with a maximum single day distance up to 190 km. Some of the days also involve significant climbs and/or riding at high elevation on the altiplano. The key is to ensure that you are in decent or better shape at the start of your ride. For those of you who need advice in how to train we send a suggested training schedule to registered riders well in advance of the tour.

BAGGAGE AND GEAROur support vehicles will carry everything that you don't need for the day. While riding, you only have to carry some basic tools, a spare tube, water/energy fluids, and a snack. Everything else we take for you. We ask that you use some common sense and consideration for the other participants when deciding what to bring on the tour, since space is quite limited on the support vehicles. A baggage inspection is conducted at the beginning of the tour and if necessary repeated at different points along the route, in order to ensure that people are complying with this important consideration. Additional information on baggage restrictions and packing suggestions will be available in the registration kit sent to registered riders.

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